Seed-dropping mechanism for corn-planters



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L.Z.PRESTON. SEED DROPPING MECHANISM FOR. GORN PLANTERS.

N0. 498,727; Patented May 30 1-893.

(No Model.) L Z PRESTON 3 sheet -sum 2.

SEED DROPPING MECHANISM FOR 001m PLANTERS. No. 498,727. Patented May 30,1893.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

L.-'Z.PRBSTON. SEBDDROPPING MECHANISM FOR CORN PLANTERS. No. 498,727.Patented May 30, 1893.

and useful Improvements in Seed-Dropping rectangular frame D, theopposite end of UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD z. PRESTON, or CHAMPION, ASSIGNOR or NE-THIRD TO STEPHEN c.uoELROY, on IMPERIAL, NEBRASKA.

SEED-DROPPING MECHANI SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Applicationfiled October 20, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEONARD Z. PRESTON, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Ghampion,in the county of Chase and State ofNebraska, have invented certain new Mechanism for Corn-Planters and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and

to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in means for operating the seeddropping mechanism of corn planters.

The object of the invention is to provide improved means for operatingthe seed slide at regular intervals, the mechanism being so constructedthat it can be readily thrown in and out of gear and adjusted forsetting the same; and the invention consists in the construction andcombination of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth andparticu-; larly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification: Figure1 is a plan view showing my improvements applied to a corn planter. Fig.2 is a sectional View taken on g the line a:m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asectional elevation taken on the line yy of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detailview-partly in section of the crank-shaft and boxing or casing whichsupports the same. Fig.5 is a detail perspective view of a hollow shaftthrough which a shaft carrying a mutilated gearwheel passes, and Fig. 6is a sectional view showing the engagement of a pawl with said hollowshaft.

A designates the front or runner frame of a corn planter, which isprovided with seed boxes 0. a and a reciprocating bar A which carriesthe seed slides, said seed slides being of ordinary construction.

To the beam B of the front or runner frame of the planteris connectedthe rear or wheel frame 0, which is supported at its opposite end by thewheels C, said wheels being mounted on a suitable axle. To the rear ofthe beam B of the front frame is connected a SM FOR CORN-PLANTERS.

atent No.498,'727, dated May 30, 1893. 'serinnatiatse. (ro an which issupported by a lever 01 pivoted to a bracket secured to the rear frame,so that by depressing -the rear end of -the lever d the frame will beswung upward to elevate the drive-wheel E above the level of the ground.This drivewheel is a rimles's one, and the ends of the spokes aresharpened and .flattened so that they will enter the ground and get asecure hold thereon. One side of the hub of this wheel is provided withratchetteeth with which a spring pawl S engages to prevent the backwardrotation of said wheel, and the opposite side of the hub carries asprocket-wheel over which passes the sprocket-chain e, said sprocketchain also passing over ,a sprocket-wheel e carried by the shaft F. Thesprocket-wheel e is loosely mounted on the shaft F, and the hub thereofhas a ratchet or clutch face which is adapted to en gage with the teethor clutch face of a slide f which is also mounted on the shaft F and isheld in connection therewith by a feather or spline, the slide beingoperated by a lever f suitably supported. The shaft F has rigidlyattached near its end opposite the sprocketwheel e toothed segments 9and g, which are preferably attached to the same sleeve or hub and arearranged diametrically opposite each other and out of line; thesesegments being adapted to engage with the toothed segments h and hrigidly secured to the shafts H and L, which will be hereinafterdescribed.

The shaft or hollow sleeve H is supported in suitable bearings orstandardslcarried by the raised. platform on the frame 0. This hollowshaft is apertured as shown at '11 and is also provided with an arm Itwhich extends forwardly as shown. Thesleeve has an eccentric portionwhich terminates in a ratchettooth 11, with which a spring actuated pawlK is adapted to engage so as to hold the hollow shaft or sleeve againstrotation except in the direction indicated in Fig. 6. To the end of thishollow shaft or sleeve is attached the 9 toothed segment 'h'with whichthe toothed segment g engages.

L designates a shaft which passes through the hollow shaft H, and theend of this shaft is squared to receive the toothed segment h 100 whichengages with the toothed segment 9. The shaft L is held within thehollow shaft or sleeve H by an arm 7c, which passes through the recesst'in said hollow shaft or sleeve. The outer ends of the arms and 7c areprovided with eyes in which are fastened flexible connections m whichlead therefrom over suitable guide pulleys M M tospring actuated slidesN located within the boxings or housings 0, said boxes or housings beingsecured to the inclined portion of the elevated platform, asshown inFig. 2. The spring actuated slides N are slotted as shown at p, and areencircled by helical springs which bear at one end against staplestsecured to the elevated platform and pass through slots in the slides,while the other end bears against a pin t projecting on each side of theslide. At the rear ends of these slides N are formed laterallyprojecting portions 12 to which are secured flexible connections 02,which pass over suitable guide pulleys '12 mounted on a shaft journaledupon the boxes or housings 0, from which they extend to the crankportions 19' p of the double crank-shaft P, the ends of said crank shaftentering the boxes or housings where they are bent as shown in Fig. 4.The spring actuated slides N have their lower ends shaped so as to restimmediately upon the bottom of the boxes or housings.

R R designate reciprocating bars, the ends of which enter the housings Oand rest above the bent ends of the shaft P, the forward ends of saidbars being pivoted to the ends of a cross-bar or lever B, said leverhaving centrally a forwardly projecting arm R which engages with a loopR carried by the reciprocating seed slide A and reciprocates the same.It will be noted that the bars R R are pivoted in slots formed in theends of the lever B so as to allow said bars to be reciprocated on astraight line. The cross-bar or le ver R is fulcrumed upon suitablesupports S and S extending from the runner frame A and housings O O, theconnection being such that the frame 0 can swing upon the frame Awithout throwing the parts out of gear.

If desired the elevated platform of the frame 0 may be provided near thetoothed segments 9 and g with spring actuated pawls T, the tendency ofthe springs being to hold the pawls out of engagement with the teeth. ofsaid segments, said pawls being thrown in engagement with the segmentsby direct pressure. By providing the shaft F with the slid ing clutch csaid shaft can be thrown out of rotation with the sprocket wheel, and byproperly operating the pawls T the segments 9 and can be adjusted tobring them in proper engagement with the segments h and h located abovethe same.

In operation, as the planter is drawn over the ground the spoke of therimless wheel E will enter the ground so as to be turned in thedirection indicated by the arrow, and by means of the sprocket-chain eimpart a rotary motion to the shaft F, and the parts of the apparatusbeing properly set the toothed segments g and g which are rigidlymounted on the shaft F will alternately engage with the toothed segmentsh and h keyed on the shaft L and sleeve 11 respectively; when the sleeveH is rocked the arm 7a to which the flexible connection m is securedwill draw upon said flexible connection so as to com press the springwhich encircles a part of the slide N, and at the same time the flexibleconnection n is drawn upon to raise one of the bends in the terminalportions of the crank shaft P, thus permitting the reciprocating bar Rto move so that the end thereof will be on a line with the end of theslide N. So soon as the segment h is turned sufficient to be out ofengagement with the segment 9 tension upon the connection m will bereleased and the slide N forced by the spring to its normal position,and during said movement will contact with the end of the reciprocatingbarR within the housing to move the leverR' upon its pivot, said leverbeing connected to the reciprocating'seed slide moving the same. Theoperation is repeated by the shaft L and arm 76 carried thereby; theparts being duplicated are arranged to operate alternately by reason ofthe toothed segments and bent shaft P, the bends in said shaft beingopposed to each other as shown in Fig. 4.

This device maybe attached to corn planters of ordinary construction,and insures regularity in dropping the seed without the employment of acheck row cord.

Having thus described my'invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a seed planter having a reciprocating seed slide,a lever carryingan arm which connects therewith, bars adapted to engage with said leverlocated in a housing, said housing containing a spring actuated slideand the bent end of a crank-shaft P, the crank-shaft and slide beingconnected to each other, and meansfor actuating the slide, substantiallyas shown, and for the purpose set forth.-

2. In a planter having housings, bars which enter the same, acrank-shaft for alternately elevating and lowering said bars, a leverupon which said bars act, and spring actuated bars located within thehousings so that the movement of said bars when acted upon by thesprings will contact with the ends of the bars attached to the lever,substantially as shown.

3. In a planter, the combination of the boxes or housings O 0, barswhich are spring actuated in one direction located within said housings,bars R which enter said housings and are connected with a lever, thelever having a forwardly projecting arm which engages with the seedslide, flexible connections n and n connected with the slides N and withmeans for alternately elevating the bars R, and flexible connectionsconnected with the operating mechanism for alternately moving the springactuated slides N, substantially as shown, and for the purpose setforth.

4:. In a planter, the combination of aframe D carrying a single rimlesswheel E, a sprocketchain adapted to be driven therefrom and turn a shaftF carrying toothed segments g and g, said toothed segments being adaptedto engage with segments carried by shafts H and L, said shafts havingforwardly projecting arms is and it from which flexible connectionsextend to operate slides N, substantially as shown.

5. In a device for converting the rotary motion of a drive-wheel toa'horizontal reciproeating motion, the combination of a ,driven shafthaving toothed segments 9 and y secured thereto, a hollow shaft orsleeve H carrying a toothed segment h and an outwardly projecting arm70, a shaft L which passes partially through the sleeve or hollow shaftH; said shaft carrying a toothed segment h and an arm 70' which passesthrough a slot in the sleeve H, connections attached to the arms 70 andk, sliding bars N and R, and lever B having a central arm which engageswith a reciprocating bar, substantially as shown, and for the purposesetforth.

In testimony whereof I afifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEONARD Z. PRESTON.

Witnesses:

O. O. MEAD, FRANK PINE.

